Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn says Kiwi boxer Joseph Parker is one moment away from being back in the conversation in the heavyweight division.
Parker, who held the WBO heavyweight title in 2018, has struggled for a big-named fight since his back-to-back losses to Anthony Joshua.
He was set to fight Brit Dereck Chisora, before having to pull out three weeks before the fight due to injury.
"It's been a frustrating period," Parker's promoter Hearn said.
"That Chisora pullout has been a kick in the nuts, I feel it was the perfect fight for him,"
But Hearn says Parker's merely a big performance away from being back in the title scope.
"He's in a great position," Hearn said.
"He just needs the momentum back, it just takes one knockout for people to say he's a threat to the division again.
"Because at the moment, he's just stepped off the radar a little bit because of the inactivity."
The 28-year-old is fighting little-known American Shawndell Winters on Sunday, March 1 and Hearn thinks it could be the start of momentum-building phase for Parker.
"I think it's a good fight for him against somebody who's going to try, we know in the heavyweight division and where he's placed in the WBO and if it becomes available then it will be Parker against [Oleksandr] Usyk for the world title."
Hearn understands the dangers of fighting somebody like Winters.
"Winters is a bit crazy, he's not the full ticket, he just wants to knock people out."
Join us on Sunday for live updates of the Joseph Parker v Shawndell Winters heavyweight fight.
